The Wolf of Wall Street doesn’t focus on the victims. So what?

Not enough focus on the victims who were defrauded. Apparently. (Picture: Paramount Pictures/ Supplied by LMK)

The hint is in the title: it’s about the wolf.

There has been a lot of howling going on over Martin Scorsese’s latest tale, the story of real-life stockbroker Jordan Belfort and the ridiculous amount of money he made, the not-very-honest methods he used to make it, and the ludicrous ways he spent it.

The main gripe I continuously hear is the film doesn’t focus on or even feature his victims, the people who were defrauded out of hundreds of millions of dollars. You know what? Jurassic Park doesn’t focus on that Gallimimus that got eaten. Star Wars isn’t about all the poor saps who just happened to be living on Alderaan when the Death Star was passing by. Silence of the Lambs doesn’t explore in-depth Hannibal Lecter’s entrees.

The lambs to Scorcese’s wolf are never shown. Do you know why? It’s Scorsese’s film! He can do whatever the hell he wants! If you want someone else’s film to focus on something else, direct your own!

It reminds me of that old ad for video piracy – ‘Trainspottin? No trains in it either, suppose that’s my fault too?’

I hear the same thing about Saving Mr Banks, the story of Walt Disney’s attempt to woo Mary Poppins author PL Travers into parting with the film rights; not the story of PL Travers’ sex life, and not the story of the family she started. Yet people criticize the movie for not expanding on the fact she was bisexual or had an adopted son! PL Travers died aged 96 – if you insisted on including every moment of her life you would have a long-assed film on your hands.

That being said, The Wolf of Wall Street is already wayyy too long at three hours. And while I think a director should be free to focus on whatever he chooses, over-focusing on something is an entirely different matter. The Wolf of Wall Street is a very good film, superb as always from Leonardo DiCaprio and great support from Jonah Hill, and it is great fun to watch.

I never thought I would complain about this, but there is only so much drug taking and prostitutes you can watch in one sitting.

There is A LOT of f***ings in this film – and I’m not just talking about the much-publicised profanity count.

Metro Blogs is a place for opinions. These opinions belong to the author and are not necessarily shared by Metro.